2 min readMay 10, 2026 04:18 PM IST
Heinrich Klaasen always seems to be ringside when IPL table toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad get talking about food.
Back in April, the South African took on a challenge to polish off a plate of biryani, but found it so spicy that he turned red and started tearing up and sweating profusely after a few spoonfuls.
So it was with immense trepidation that he asked his teammates what exactly Vada pav was. The SRH teammates Abhishek Sharma and Aniket Verma were part of a This-or-That game, video of which was posted by the franchise.
‘Puli’ or Tiger, as Abhishek is known in Hyderabad, was thrown the first poser – Samosa or Vada Pav. “I think I’ll go with Vada pav,” was his prompt answer.
“First of all what is it, I don’t know,” Klaasen would say, sounding quite terrified. It’s a potato stuffing with chilli, dhaniya seeds and curry leaves, salt and condiments fried in a besan batter. This pattice is then wedged into a paav.
The paav used for Vada pav is a speciality – unique to Mumbai, Pune, Nasik, Kolhapur and Goa, with quite a geo-centricity because the yeast in baking the soft bread, only work their magic in these regions.
Abhishek Sharma, who made many a kulcha places in Amritsar famous India wide tagging his fame, would pick the workman’s humble and affordable on-the-go compact food, served with grated garlic and dry coconut chutney usually, over the ubiquitous samosa – all goes vegetables dunked and fried in a triangle batter shell.
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But, Klaasen would need some explaining on the Vada pav. So Abhishek and the cameraperson would help out. “It’s like an Indian burger… without mayonnaise,” they would attempt.
Aniket Verma upon his turn would pick butter chicken, over shahi paneer. “He’s a Punjabi from inside,” Abhishek would explain to Klaasen about the MP finisher.
The This-or-that even had FIFA or PUBG question. “FIFA only for sure,” Abhishek would say.
SRH meanwhile have hit the next year under Pat Cummins, and hopped to the top of the table after recent wins over MI and Punjab Kings, though they lost to KKR.
